Hey there folks! I know I've been saying it for a loooonnnggg time now but I have finally started my next suppressor project. This time it's a stainless steel Ruger Mk II 22-45.

Going to be using the same princibles as the last build. Only difference is that I'll be using a stainless steel tube and trying to blend it into the same conture as the reciever. Wish me luck on that!

OK, obligatory disclamer here: DO NOT start a suppressor project without FIRST obtaining your approved Form 1 in hand, PLUS any state paperwork that may be necessary in your state.

Step 1: Remove the barrel from the reciever. While the barrel is off go ahead and clean up the threads using your taps and dies. For some reason they always seem to be very rough when the barrel comes off. I have a medium tap and a bottom tap for the reciever. The bottom tap IS needed to get all the way down.

First pic here shows the reciever still in the wrench (makes it a lot easier to run the taps in if you leave it till your done), the barrel and the other parts being safely kept in the box.



And another pic a little closer up.



NEXT step: Remove the front site and start turning down the barrel. Notice I've already turned off the front site base. This will take the barrel down to 1/2 inch diamiter. I'll be taking down the rest of the barrel down to 1/2 in. also leaving a section at the chamber end for some 5/8ths in threads.





NEXT step is to go ahead and put some threads on the chamber end. These are cut at 5/8 ths in 18 tpi National Fine.



And the almost finished barrel.



Now those of you that still remember the Mauser project may notice that the muzel end is not threaded this time. I know; volume here is at a premium and a threaded tube support here will take up too much room for my taste. This time I'm going with a slip fit muzzel support.

NEXT step: I need to set down some guide lines to drill the ports in the barrel so back in the lathe it goes.



You'll note in this picture that the head stock of the lathe has a bunch of holes in it. Look real close and you'll see a couple of chalk marks going over a couple of those holes. This is how you can index the barrel to sribe lines down the length of it.

And another Pic for good measure



NEXT step was to punch mark each port. Several hits with an automatic punch gives a real good divit for the drill to drop into.



Here is a pic of the barrel after it has been completly punch marked and ready to drill. Also in the pic is My dads 22-45 just because.



And now some pictures of the drilled barrel.





Oh, btw, the ports are 5/64 in. They are layed out in offset rows of three, 1/2 in apart.

I still need to smooth out the the barrel and remove all the lay lines but it is basiclly done.

So that concludes the first instalment of project "silent 22-45". What's next? A lot really, but I'll next be working on setting up some thread standards for the 1" tube. Then I need to make the chamber cap and muzel support. After that who knows, maybe the other (muzel) end cap, baffle punches or the expansion chambers. . . we'll see. So Stay tuned. . . . .

just curious....

did you make the one your father has too??

are you going wiht the same design, or are changes planned?

That was his project that I just helped with here and there. I was mostly for bouncing ideas off of and making sure there was plenty of oil in the right places while he drilled and did the machining.

There will be some differences. The holes on his are 1/16 in mine are slightly larger at 5/64in. His design uses a defuser tube in it followed by expansion chambers. I'm deleting the defuser tube and adding more expansion chambers.
OAL on his tube is 10.5in and mine will be 10in. The biggest difference is that he used a 1.1 in O.D. aluminum tube and mine will be a 1in stainless steele tube to try and blend into the same contour as the reciever.

i thought the holes looked bigger, just figures it was an optical illusion from the camera.

id immagine you could make the ss tube much thinner, so you'd still be able to match the the id and the strength (if not exceed strength) of the aluminum. as long as you still had enough matl to be able to machine the threads in it.

Well sure, if you happen to have a machine shop, experience, knowledge and skills, anyone can do this.

Nicely planned and executed. Do you think your accuracy will change with all of these mods? What value would you put on that barrel with all of your labor added? Just the curious business/engineer in me.

Thanks for posting this. I eat this stuff up. I only wish I could run the tools. I've caught one too many lathe chuck keys in the chest and sent one too many wrenches flying off the spindle of a Bridgeport in my day. A man has got to know his limitations. I stick to the solid model designing. I lose less blood that way.

Yeah, we're gonna try a little bigger here. I doubt that these will bring the normal rounds down to subsonic level. In my fathers we actually lightened the bolt so it would be 100% reliable running sub sonic loads.

The thickness of the tube is kinda strange. The aluminum tube can be anywhere from .0 45 to .060 and if I'm not mistaken we used something in the .045 range. The stainless steele is much stronger yes, BUT we ran into a different practical limitation. If you go any thinner that .045 it's too thin to cut threads. . . Soooo we are still using .045 tubing. Oh, well.

Thanks but it's really not that difficult. Yes, the accuracy does go down a bit but not that much. The bures in the barral are pretty easy to deal with. Value on the machine time for the barrel? No idea really. . .machine hours are around $65.00 per hour and IIRC I spent a couple of half days (plus a little) working on the barrel so far. Guess that's why these things cost upwards of $900.00 retail. Never really thought of it before.

Funny you mentioned lathe chuck keys flying, I did that once. . .once. Boy did I learn my leason on that one! The chuck key and the service wrench are now both painted bright ornge. That helps.


Thanks,

Nice work The only downfall is that you can't load your own rimfire round to taylor it for that setup looks good keep us posted.

rite of passage. i think ANYONE who works with machine tools has done it at least once!!!

i know i have!!!

Sorry folks, I had planned on updates to be posted today but only got one day in the shop to work so I really don't have much. I had a family matter come up and spent three days working at the folks place installing a servalence system (it still not finished either). Sorry I wasn't able to do much. I've been working on the thread check gauges for threading the one inch tube but have not finished that step yet.

Nice work L1A1Rocker, did you ever consider subbing out your skills?

Thanks. You know, I've had lots of inquires about that but no, I'm just a form 1 hobbiest. Although I get so many PM's asking about work I may yet look into getting licensed as an SOT.

You may as well. There's nothing like making money at something you enjoy.

no problem, you gotta have priorities.

hope you got what or who ever was causing them problems straightened out.

no problem, you gotta have priorities.

hope you got what or who ever was causing them problems straightened out.